“No man is more fragile than another: no man more certain than another of tomorrow. ” The following quote found in Montaigne’s “That to Study Philosophy is to Learn to Die” is a well-balanced quote that speaks of death and makes a good point. This quote has two parts and two different ideas in it. Both the ideas are highly plausible and make a plethora of sense. Even tho this quote is not necesseraly made up by Michel de Montaigne, he uses it in his writing and supports it. The original quote is really from “Epistulae morales ad Lucilium” which was written around 65 A.
D. By Seneca, of Ancient Rome. This shows the reader how Montaigne was able to use different quotes from totally different time periods to support his clause. I believe that this quote simply means that no man is stronger than another, and that you cannot predict what will happen tomorrow. It displays the fact that death is inevitable and not one person knows that they will wake up tomorrow alive. Montaigne is trying to make a point that physical and even spiritual factors do not make one person better than another.
People come in different shapes and sizes, and one person’s weaknesses may be made up for by a different strength, one that somebody else does not possess. Michel de Montaigne had a different perception on death and philosophy, often linking the two closely. The quote represents all the small things that philosophy can be. It shows how nothing is granted for sure, and that there is always things that cannot be explained or occurrences that cannot be predicted.
Nobody is really aware of the complexity that quote can create. There may be other meanings to it, but it is clear that nobody is able to predict the future, and waking up in the morning is never guaranteed. In spite of the fact that people come in different shapes and sizes death is for sure certain, but it all does not matter if you do not live your life to the fullest. Sometimes we may be fragile, but it does not mean that we are that at heart. In fact, we are everything but fragile at heart.
It means nothing if we are big or small, black or white, gullible or unbelieving, we cannot take those characteristics and label them as fragile, we must take them and run with them. It shapes who we are, and we must accept that fact. That is what Montaigne is trying to portray by using that quote. I think that Michel de Montaigne’s point made by that quote is right, and I strongly agree with it on my different levels. I believe that no person is better than another, and that no person is weaker than another.
Even the most smallest and least physically capable person is able to have the biggest impact on a situation or on another person. Even tho the most glorious invocation cannot prevent death this is a process nobody can stop, no matter how much we try, we are never certain we will wake up tomorrow morning. Even tho I believe that our future is in our hands, it is sort of hypocritical do believe in something like dying cannot be predicted. I believe that we should not go to bed fearing the fact that tomorrow is not certain, but actually we should embrace it.
We are perfect in our own ways and we should not fear something like that. There is no such thing as being fragile if we believe in ourselves at heart. I think that the strengths that we possess shape us to be the people we are. No matter what you throw at me, I will figure out a way to throw it back at you. That is the beauty of human nature. The quote is kind of like a coin, having to sides to it. At one side it displays the glory of life, and at the other side it shows how death cannot be predicted. I also believe that this quote makes a lot of sense in a different perspective.
It means that even if we think that we are fragile, it does not effect the fact we will one day die, and this means that there is no time for thinking that we are fragile. Living life is all about enjoying every minute of it. Of course there is many things to detest, like paying taxes and bills, but it is all about how we look at things. Having an optimistic, yet realistic point of view is the best. We can virtually see how everything can shape up if we are realistic, and having that optimistic point on life, we see how to enjoy all the little things.
I think that Montaigne’s use of this quote is totally correct, and that he uses it wisely. In conclusion, I believe that Michel de Montaigne did his homework on philosophy, and wrote very thoughtful and smart essays about it. I support the following quote and I shall keep it in the back of my mind from now on, as it is a very good guidline as to how we should think about life. It reminds me of how we should not treat anybody as they are below us, as well as to not fear death as it is out to get everybody.